The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing sport balls that contain mechanisms for inflating or adding pressure to such balls.
Conventional inflatable sport balls, such as basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs and playground balls, are inflated through a traditional inflation valve using a separate inflation needle that is inserted into and through a self-sealing inflation valve. A separate pump, such as a traditional bicycle pump, is connected to the inflation needle and the ball is inflated using the pump. The inflation needle is then withdrawn from the inflation valve that self-seals to maintain the pressure. This system works fine until the sport ball needs inflation or a pressure increase and a needle and/or pump are not readily available.
The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/594,980, filed Jun. 15, 2000 and having the same assignee as this application, describes a sport ball that has a self-contained inflation mechanism, dimensioned and configured to be retained completely within the envelope of the ball except when the inflation mechanism is being used to inflate the ball. The object of that invention is to be able to inflate or add pressure to a sport ball without the need for separate inflation equipment such as a separate inflation needle and pump. Specifically, that invention relates to a sport ball, which has a self-contained pump device, which is operable from outside the ball and which pumps ambient air into the ball to achieve the desired pressure. More specifically, the pump device provides a chamber within the ball with means for admitting ambient air into the chamber and provides means for forcing that air from the chamber through one-way valve means into the interior volume of the ball. The pump device more specifically comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement with the piston operable from outside the ball.
The manufacturing process for molded volley balls, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, rugby balls and the like requires molding processes with temperatures of approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit and a pressure of approximately 100 psi within the ball. In conventional sport balls this does not present a problem. However, in the manufacture of sport balls having a self-contained pump these temperatures and pressures do create a problem. More particularly, the preferred internal pump construction utilizes plastic pump components that are likely to be damaged by this combination of pressure and temperature. The design of the pump is preferably based on the environmental conditions anticipated in normal use of the ball. While it would be possible to design the pump using materials that would withstand the temperatures and pressures encountered during the manufacturing process, such a rigorous design specification would substantially increase the costs of manufacture of the pump.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a sport ball having a self-contained pump for adding air to the interior of the ball, which does not require the pump to be manufactured to specifications which would tolerate the harsh temperature and pressure conditions that occur during the manufacturing process.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a sport ball of this type which is simple and inexpensive to implement.
It has now been found that these and other objects of the invention may be achieved in a method of manufacturing a sport ball which includes providing a fluid impervious bladder, providing apparatus for penetrating the bladder that includes apparatus for receiving an object in sealing engagement, providing a plug dimensioned and configured to engage in sealing relationship the apparatus for receiving in sealing engagement, inserting the plug into the means for receiving, inflating the bladder, forming additional layers of material on the bladder that constitutes part of a complete sport ball, providing the plug with a self-contained inflation mechanism dimensioned and configured to be disposed within the envelope of the sport ball and dimensioned and configured to engage the means for receiving, removing the plug from the means for receiving, and placing the inflation mechanism into the means for receiving.
In some forms of the invention the step of forming additional layers includes adding reinforcing windings and may also include the step of forming additional layers including molding a layer of rubber on the windings as well as the step of laminating composite panels onto the ball and setting the panels in a molding process.
The invention also includes a method of manufacturing a sport ball which includes providing a flat piece of rubber, die-cutting two openings in a flat piece of rubber, forming the flat piece of rubber into a bladder having the geometric shape of a sport ball with openings disposed in generally opposed relationship, cementing a needle valve in one of the openings, cementing a boot in the other of the openings in the rubber, inserting a plug in the boot that is dimensioned and configured for sealing engagement with the boot, forming additional layers of material on the bladder, and replacing the plug with a self-contained inflation mechanism dimensioned and configured to be disposed within the envelope of the sport ball and dimensioned and configured to engage the boot.